Library News

The 95th Academy Awards presentation is scheduled for Sunday, March 12 at 7pm on ABC.  There's still time to watch all of the films before the presentation!  See our list below including links to our catalog for DVDs to checkout, the streaming service to watch online, or the theater where the movies are showing.  And, just for fun, here is a ballot from thegoldknight.com to vote for your favorites!  

The West Des Moines Public Library is excited to be participating in Sensory Spaces with other Metro area libraries. During these designated times, each Sensory Space library will offer special hours for members of the public who appreciate a sensory-friendly environment. The first Sensory Space time at the West Des Moines Public Library will be on Sunday, January 29 from 1:00 - 2:00 PM. 

This Valentine's, why not snuggle up with a loyal companion - a good book?

Find our Blind Date with a Book display on the second floor near the new books. Each wrapped book is a mystery - choose one based on the information we've given and take it home to unwrap and meet your date.

Inside, you'll find a bookmark asking you how you enjoyed your date! Fill it out and return it to the Valentine's boxes you'll find and Accounts and Checkout and Adult Services. Turn it in by noon on February 17 for a chance to win an amazing prize basket.

The grand prize includes:

The West Des Moines Public Library recently worked with Midwest Pano, LLC to create a virtual tour of our building. Take a virtual walk around our Library and explore everything there is to offer. Be sure to check out "hotspots" like the welcome message below located throughout the tour. Click to find key areas and learn more about the programs and services offered to the community. You can also use the menu on the side panel to direct your search to specific areas of the building.

UPDATE: ALL computers are up and running! 

The public computers at the West Des Moines Public Library will be unavailable Wednesday, November 30 – Friday, December 2 while we complete essential technology upgrades. The fax machine and copiers will still be functional during this time. Please watch this space for any updates regarding this project.

The WDM Library Friends Foundation is proud to host the library’s biggest book sale of the year! Choose from hundreds of books at extremely affordable prices!

Join us on:

Our library staff is happy to assist you with any questions you might have regarding the upcoming general election on November 8, 2022. The library will be an Early Voting site for POLK COUNTY voters only on Thursday, November 3 (10:00 AM - 4:00 PM), Friday, November 4 (10:00 AM - 4:00 PM), and Saturday, November 5 (10:00 AM - 3:00 PM).

This year, the WDM Public Library embarked on a new strategic planning cycle to best position the library for community engagement and innovation from 2022 – 2027. With the help of local strategic planning firm, Bâton Global, we were able to develop a robust and thoughtful roadmap for the next five years that we are proud to share with our community.

The West Des Moines Public Library is partnering with DART to celebrate Library Card Sign up Week! Use your library card to ride FREE on DART’s Local and Express routes and On Call services September 11 - 17, 2022.

Just show your library card when you board any DART bus September 11 - 17. It's that simple! Then enjoy DART's free WiFi to listen to an eAudiobook or read an eBook. 

For the past few years, the library has been proud to present the Iowa Files History Program with the West Des Moines Historical Society. We're excited to have them back again for a series running monthly from September 2022 - May 2023. This joint library-Historical Society event is free and open to the public thanks to the support of West Des Moines Historical Society Members, EMC Insurance Foundation, the West Des Moines Library Friends Foundation and the Iowa Arts Council.

With students heading back to class this week, the West Des Moines Public Library’s administrators are sending out some reminders to students and families. Minors who wish to spend time at the West Des Moines Public Library must either be accompanied and supervised by an adult or present their library card or school ID at the Teen Desk upon entering the building. This process will be in effect on Wednesday, August 24, which marks the first day of classes for West Des Moines Community Schools students. This process is similar to one the library put into action in April 2022.

We rounded out the end of our Fiscal Year in June 2022. Looking back on the year, we wanted to share some of the highlights, including all of the fabulous things we were able to accomplish with the help of our dedicated patrons. 

Not only did our digital and physical circulation numbers go up this year, we were also proud of serving over 1,300 patrons through our Homebound and Elder Care Outreach programs, having 1,750 volunteer hours served in the library, and having 21,931 event attendees!

The State Library of Iowa has announced that the West Des Moines Public Library has met the conditions for state accreditation as outlined in “In Service to Iowa: Public Library Standards Sixth Edition.”

At the April 19 meeting of the West Des Moines Public Library Board of Trustees, the Board voted to raise the age at which children may be alone at the library from eight years of age to 10 years of age. The Board also decided that those acting as caregivers for younger patrons must be 14 years or older.

According to the library’s policies, parents, guardians, and caregivers must:

Repairs will be made to the West Des Moines Public Library's parking lot starting on Monday, April 25. These repairs will be made in a four-phased approach to allow patrons and staff to access the library throughout the renovation. Our book drop and entrance will always be accessible throughout this 6-8 week renovation process.  

Please refer to the image below to understand which areas of the lot will be closed at different times. We will update this article as we hear firm dates for the other phases moving forward.